Blissfield locks down Hornets

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 9:00 AM

By Ed Patinoed.patino@hillsdale.netHILLSDALE — The Hillsdale High School girls basketball team never got on track.With their offense shut down for most of the night, the Hornets were unable to dig out of a first-half hole in a 52-31 loss to the Blissfield Royals in a Lenawee County Athletic Association game Tuesday.Hillsdale (10-7, 5-6 LCAA) trailed by 17 at halftime, but fought back to within 11 late in the third quarter. Blissfield (13-3, 8-3 LCAA) recovered after that with a 15-4 run to put the game away.The Royals swept the two-game regular season series from the Hornets."We never got into any sustained rhythm, and we didn't shoot well," Hillsdale coach Nick Langston said. "(Blissfield) is a big physical team, and we have to play teams like this to prepare for the tournament. Winning our district again is a top priority for us."Hillsdale started well, jumping to a 5-0 lead on Hayley Maystead's layup and Jamee Thompson's 3-pointer. It would not see the lead after that.Claire Denecker scored eight straight points for the Royals before Maddie Eves tied the game with a traditional 3-point play. Denecker sparked another Blissfield run with four straight points before free-throws and a driving basket by Emma Essen and a missile by Sara Goetz put the Royals up 19-8 at the end of the first quarter.Eves opened the second quarter with a putback for Hillsdale, but the Royals answered with a 7-0 run, capped by consecutive baskets by Essen and Kelsie Abbott. The Hornets were also hurt by foul trouble, getting their 10th foul just two minutes into the second frame.Maystead scored two inside baskets late in the quarter, but Denecker's putback and Goetz's 3-pointer at the horn gave the Royals a 31-14 halftime lead."(Denecker) is tough to stop inside, but we can't let the ball get there," Langston said.Blissfield upped its lead to 21 before the Hornets' offense came to life. Maystead and Eves scored in the paint, while Thompson and Kim Sanderson hit a pair of missile, bringing Hillsdale to within 35-24.Denecker stopped the run with a traditional 3-point play, then Abbott's inside basket gave Hillsdale a 40-25 lead entering the fourth quarter."Offensively we were crisp and we moved the ball well," Blissfield coach Ryan Gilbert said. "Claire is dominant and our offense runs through her. Tonight we did a good job getting the ball to her."The Royals outscored Hillsdale 10-3 to open the final quarter. A jumper by Sanderson and free throw by Alyssa Anderson made it 50-31 before Kelsey Tomasek closed the game with an inside basket.Maystead was held to nine points for the Hornets. Eves scored eight points, while Thompson had six points. Sanderson finished with five points."Emma (Essen) did a great job on Maystead, and she's the best on-ball defender we've had here in a long time," Gilbert said.Denecker scored 23 points to lead Blissfield. Goetz added 13 points, while Essen finished with eight points.The Hornets will travel to Onsted for another LCAA game Friday. The game will be a part of Onsted's winter homecoming."I love this time of year, and Onsted is a game that will help us prepare for the tournament," Langston said.

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